State Briefs 1/20/10

Wednesday

Jan 20, 2010 at 12:01 AMJan 20, 2010 at 7:23 PM

State Briefs 1/20/10

Jet skids off ramp at Peoria airport, none injured

PEORIA – The airfield at the Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport closed briefly Wednesday morning after freezing rain and icy conditions caused a United Airlines regional affiliate jet to slide off a ramp while taxiing onto one of the airport's runways.

No one was injured and the 50-seat jet operated by SkyWest Airlines was undamaged, airport officials said of the 8:30 a.m. incident. The airport was closed for about an hour and a half before reopening.

The flight and its 36 passengers were destined for Denver. At least three flights, all originating from Chicago’s O’Hare airport, scheduled to land in Peoria were cancelled due to weather.

Peoria Journal Star

Former principal resigned due to Internet activity

PEORIA – A former Peoria School District 150 principal who suddenly resigned earlier this month did so after he was confronted about his Internet activity.

More than 50 pages of "deny logs" document how, in a two-week span, Philip Hise attempted to get around the district's Internet security to visit dozens of pornographic Web sites and view hundreds of photos from his office computer at Charles Lindbergh Middle School.

Times listed on an Internet browsing history record show the principal using the school computer to access pornography in the evenings, over weekends, and on some occasions when school was in session. The activity, according to one page, noted similar activity dating back to at least November.

Hise, hired in July as principal, resigned on Jan. 8, stating personal reasons.

Peoria Journal Star

Authorities: Hot-wiring led to car catching fire

SPRINGFIELD – Investigators said they believe a stolen car was hot-wired, which caused it to catch fire and burn Monday night or early Tuesday.

Authorities were called to the scene about 12:15 a.m. Tuesday, where they found a stolen brown 1997 Chevrolet Blazer on fire. The registered owner told police she left the vehicle in the driveway unlocked with the keys under the floor mat. A friend had just worked on the Blazer and returned it, she said, and that was why the keys were under the mat.

Arson investigators found the keys still under the floor mat after the fire was extinguished. They said it appeared the Blazer was hot-wired, which caused the fire.

The owner said the vehicle was in the driveway at 9 p.m. when she went to bed. The Blazer was valued at $5,000.